Full Breakdown
Hamleys Unveils 2026 Christmas Toy Shortlist
By Drooid · · How we work
Squishies Surge Drives Toy Market
Hamleys’ 2026 festive catalogue highlights the “Big Squij” line of slow-rise, squeezable sensory toys, priced at £10. The banana-shaped squishy, described as “really difficult to put down,” is expected to sell in the thousands, according to Victoria Kay, head of buying and merchandising at Hamleys. The squishies craze has been amplified by social media, with more than 260,000 TikTok posts and over 600,000 Instagram posts tagged #squishies, while the leading brand NeeDoh boasts 1.1 million TikTok followers.
Key Figures and Sales Data
- UK toy sales were up 13 % by value and 19 % by volume by the end of August, per market-research firm Circana.
- Items priced under £10 are the fastest-growing segment, adding roughly £100 million in sales during the same period.
- The Hamleys list includes 15 products ranging from the £9.99 Big Squij toys to the £75 remote-controlled Thunder Unicorn.
Official Outlook from Hamleys and Industry Leaders
Andrew Murphy, who runs The Entertainer—the UK’s largest toy-shop chain—called squishies the year’s biggest toy trend and suggested the phenomenon could boost independent shop revenues by at least 30 %, potentially doubling annual profits given the low variable costs of the items.
What’s Next for the Festive Season
Hamleys has already begun its holiday promotions, with a consumer poll indicating that the current week marks the official start of Christmas shopping. The retailer will host a Santa Grotto at its Regent Street flagship, offering tickets for £75 for three people on selected December days. Additionally, Japanese virtual pop star Hatsune Miku’s world-tour leg in London is scheduled to conclude at the O2 Arena on November 12, adding a pop-culture tie-in to the toy lineup.
The combination of viral squishy toys, aggressive pricing, and seasonal marketing suggests a robust holiday period for UK toy retailers, anchored by Hamleys’ curated selection.
